Combined telephone dial and advertisement illuminator



May 15, 1928. 1,669,623

EIC RENAUD COMBINED TELEPHONE DIAL AND ADVERTISEMENT ILLUMINATOR 7 Filed Sept. 8, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

May 15, 1928.,

E. C. RENAUD COMBINED TELEPHONE DIAL AND ADVERTISEMENT ILLUMINATOR Filed Sept. 8, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 v m m m y fW MW". WM

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES EDWIN G. BENAUD, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

COHBIN ED TELEPHONE DIAL AND ADVERTISEMENT ILLUMINATOB.

Application filed September 8, 1925. Serial N0. 55,159.

My invention relates to improvements in electrical devices for the illumination of the dials of dial operated telephones and the simultaneous display of advertising matter.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel support for a telephone, said support having means for automatically illuminating the dial of a dial operated telephone and simultaneously illuminating advertisements, when the receiver is removed from the hook of the telephone. 7

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a device of the kind described which is simple in construction, cheapto make, efi'ective'inits action, durable andnot liable to get out of order, and which is easily and readily adaptable for use with dial telephones now in use, and the mechanism of which is independent of the telephone mechanism, other than serving as a support for the telephone and being operative by the lessening of the weight supported when the receiver is removed for use.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accom anying drawings, which illustrate the pre erred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of my improved illuminator, shown with a dial telephone resting thereon. I

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, the telephone being absent.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit.

Similar referenc characters designate similar parts in the different views.

1 designates the base, on wh1ch 1s fastened a hinge 2, the upper extremity of sa d hinge being attached to the inside of an lnverted pan shaped body 3 of the device, the said bod having an annular downwardly exten ing side wall containing openings 4 for the reception of a transparent strip 7 containing advertisements,.said body having a flat top 5 for the support of a dial telephone 6, said top bein provided with an upwardly extending tu ular member 8 having a hood 10 containing an electric llght bulb 9.

The said electric light bulb 9 has its terminals respectively connected to conductors 11 and 12, which respectively connect with the terminals of a current source, such as a battery 13.

An electric light bulb 16, placed upon the base 1, within the interior of the hollow movable body of the device, is included in the conductor 11 and is adapted to illuminate the advertising matter placed on the transparent strip 7 which covers the open- 1ngs 4 in the side of the hollow movably hinged body 3, a simultaneous lighting of the said electric light bulbs 9 and 16 being accomplished through the closing of the circuit due to the upward movement of a contact member 14 of a circuit closer in said circuit, said member 14 being attached to the under surface of the top 5, and, on the upward movement of said top, having contact with the other circuit closer member 15 mounted on the base 1, said contact members 14 and 15 being included in the conductor 12.

The upward movement of the hollow movably hinged body 3 of the device occurs when the weight of the telephone resting on the top thereof, is lessened by the removal of the receiver 21 from the hook 22 provided therefor on the telephone, this lessening of weight permitting a spring 17, which rests at its lower end on the base 1 and which encircles a vertical post 18 mounted on the base 1, to press upwardly upon a flange 19 at the lower end of a hollow member 20 which is attached at its upper extremity to the under surface of the top 5 of the movable hollow body 3. Such upward movement causing the hollow movable body 3 to move to the position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The lower end of the hollow member 20 encircles the upper end of the vertical rod 18 thus preventing undue lateral motion or wabbling of the member 20.

The closing of the electric circuit through the electric lamp bulbs 9 and 16 by means of contact of the horizontal portions of the circuit closer members 14 and 15, in the manner previously described, causes the lighted bulb 9 to illuminate the dial 24 of the dial operated tele hone 6, when the latter is properly dispose on the top 5, and also, by meansof the lighted bulb 16, simultaneously furnishes illumination of the advertisements on the transparent strip 7 covering the openings 4'.

When the receiver 21 is replaced on the hook 22, its ,weight will cause the body 3 to swing downwardly to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, thereby separating the circuit closer members 1d and 15 and opening the circuit which includes the bulbs 9 and 16.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as various modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base, a hollow body vertically movable onsaid base and having a side wall provided with openings adapted to be covered by transparent material containing advertising or similar matter, said body having a flat top adapted to support an article, such as a dial telephone, means for forcing said body upwardly when the weight carried thereby is reduced a predetermined amount, an electric circuit including a circuit closer arranged to close when said body moves upwardly and to open when said body moves downwardly, a current source in said circuit, and two electric light bulbs in said circuit, one bulb being disposed so as to illuminate said article, and the other disposed in said body and adapted to project rays through said openings.

2. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base, a hollow body vertically movable on said base and having openings adapted to be covered with transparentmaterial containing advertising or similar matter, said body having a flat top adapted to support an article, such as a telephone, a Sprin connecting said base and said body and adapted to force said body upwardly when the weight carried thereon is reduced a predetermined amount, an electric circuit including a circuit closer actuated by said body to respectively close and open said circuit when said body moves upwardly and downwardly, a current source in said circuit, and two electric light bulbs in said circuit, one being located abovesaid flattop so as to illuminate said article, the other bulb being in said body and disposed so as to project rays through said openings. 7

3. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base a hollow body vertically movable on said base, and having openings adapted to be covered by transparent material containing advertising or similar matter thereon, said body being adapted to support a dial telephone thereon, means, inactive, when said body is depressed, for forcing said body upwardl when a predetermined weight is removed rom said body, and electric light illuminating means controlled by said body for simultaneously illuminating the dial of said telephone and for projecting light through said openings and arranged to efiect such illumination upon the upward movement of said body and to discontinue the illumination when said body moves downwardl 4. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base, a hollow body vertically movable on said base and adapted to support an article, such as a telephone, and having side openings and having an upwardly extending tubular member having a hood, a vertical post secured to said base, a coil spring encircling said post and resting on said base and bearing against said body and adapted to force said body upwardly, said body being adapted to be depressed by said article and adapted to be lifted by said spring when the weight on said body is lessened a predetermined amount, two electric light bulbs, one located in said body and adapted to project light through said openings, the other bulb being disposed in said hood and adapted to pro ect light on said article, an electric circuit including said bulbs, and a circuit closer in said circuit comprising-two contact members, one attached to said body and the other to said base, and arranged to contact with each other when said body is upwardly moved by said spring and to separate when said body lowers, and a current source in said circuit.

-5. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base, a hollow body vertically movable thereon having a side wall provided with openings, said body being adapted to support a dial telephone, transparent material across said openings containing advertising or similar material, a spring for moving said body upwardly when said telephone or a sufficient portion thereof is removed from said body, and an electric circuit including a circuit closer arranged to close when said body rises and to open when said body lowers, a current source in said circuit and lighting means in said circuit arranged w en said circuit is closed to dproject light through said openings and sai transparent materialand to simultaneouslyproject light upon the dial of a telephone, when the latter is properly disposed on said hollow body.

6. In an illuminator of the kind described,

a hollow body havingopenings adapted to be covered by transparent material containing advertising or similar matter, said body being adapted to support a dial telephone, an electric circuit including a current source, lighting means in said circuit for simultaneously projecting light through said openings and upon said dial, and circuit controlling means arranged to open'said circuit when said telephone is on said body and to close said circuit when. said telephone on a predetermined portion thereof is removed rom said body.

7. In an illuminator of the kind described,

the combination with a, dial telephone have ing a receiver, of a base, a member adapted to support said telephone vertically movable on said base, means, depressible by the weight of said telephone and its receiver, for forcing said member upwardly when the telephone or its receiver is removed from said member, and means controlled by said member for illuminating the dial of said telephone when said member moves upwardly and rendered inactive when said member is depressed.

8. In an illuminator of the kind described, the combination with a dial telephone having a receiver, of a base, a member adapted to support said telephone vertically movable on said base, means for forcing said member upwardly when the weight of said telephone or its receiver is removed from said member, the weight of said telephone and its receiver normally forcing said member downwardly, and an electric circuit includin means for illuminating the dial of said telephone, and including a circuit closer operative to close said circuit by said member when the later moves upwardly and to open said circuit when said member moves downwardly.

9. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base, a member vertically movable thereon adapted to support a dial telephone and its receiver, means for forcing said member upwardly, active for the purpose when said telephone or its receiver has its weight removed from said member and inactive therefor when said telephone and its receiver are supported by said member, and an electric circuit including an electric lighting bulb disposed so as to project light upon the dial of said telephone when the latter is supported in operative position on said memher and said circuit is closed, said circuit including a circuit closer operative by said member on its upward movement to close said circuit and operative by said member on the downward movement of the later to open said circuit.

10. In an illuminator of the kind described, a base, a member vertically movable thereon adapted to support a dial telephone and its receiver, means for forcing said member upwardly, operative when the weight of said telephone or its receiver is removed from said member, and an electric circuit including an electric lighting bulb disposed so as to illuminate the dial of said telephone when said circuit is closed and the telephone is in operative position on said member, said circuit including two contact members respectively attached to said base and to said memher and arranged to contact with each other g to close said circuit when said member moves upwardly and to separate when said member moves downwardly, the weight of said telephone and its receiver serving to depress said member.

11. In an illuminator of the kind described, the combination with a telephone having a. hook and a receiver mounted on the hook and a dial carried by said telephone, of a support for said telephone, and means actuated by said support for illuminat said dial and operative independently b? said hook when the telephone is removed from said support or the receiver is removed from said hook, and inactive for the purpose when the telephone is on said support and the receiver is resting on said hook.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWIN C. RENAUD. 

